[DOC. No. XXXIII.]
COMMUNICATIOI
OF
THE! E»ELE!SIX5E!I^T
or THE
JAMES R1ÏER AND KANAWHA C01PANÍ
CALLED FOR BY RESOLUTION OF HOUSE OF DELEGATES.
1852.
[Doc. No. 33.]
COMMUNICATION.
3
Office James River & Kanawha Co.
Richmond, December 13, 1852.
Oscar M. Crutchfield, Esq.
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
Sir,
In compliance with the request contained in the resolution adopted by
the house of delegates on the 7th inst., 1 have the honor to submit the following
communication :
1. In answer to the first enquiry contained in the said resolution, I submit a
statement marked A, which shows the sums of money arising from the bonds of
the state loaned to the company, and from the bonds of the company guaranteed
by the state under the several acts of the general assembly referred to, and the
purposes to which they have been respectively applied.
By law the moneys of the company, arising from its annual receipts as well as
from loans made by the state, are deposited in the Bank of Virginia to the credit
of the company, and while distinct accounts have been kept on the books of the
company, showing the amount intended for each particular work and section of
work, no such special account has ever been kept at bank. Hence money in¬
tended for a particular object has been frequently applied to the payment of the
legal obligations of the company arising out of its contracts for construction of
work on other sections, and refunded from the income and other means of the
company. The statements which have accompanied the annual reports to the
stockholders, and which were annually communicated to the legislature through
the Board of public works, will exhibit the precise condition of each of the re¬
peated instances of this course of proceeding.
The acts of the general assembly of March 9th and of March 12, 1849, re¬
quired the company to construct the Rivanna and Southside connections, and the
Tidewater connection—and to raise means, authorized the state's guarantee of
4
[Doc. No. 33.]
the company's bonds for the aggregate amount of five hundred thousand dollars :
the proceeds of the bonds proving inadequate to the object, a portion of the
money in bank intended for the Tidewater connection was applied to the pay¬
ment of contractors' estimates for the other connections, to be refunded from the
general income of the company.
By the acts of March 1, 1847, and January 25, 1850, the company was re¬
quired to complete the second division, and a debt contracted by loans of state
bonds, the proceeds of which, though at the time deemed sufficient, proved in¬
adequate, and a portion of the money arising from the sale of bonds guaranteed
by the state under the act of March 15, 1850, which were intended for the third
division, was applied to the completion of the second division, so that it might be
opened to navigation and yield revenue. The loan so made from one of the
company's heads of appropriation to another, will, be refunded from the income
of the company and from bills payable to the company.
I respectfully refer the house of delegates to the annual statement of accounts,
which have been regularly examined and communicated to the stockholders and
the legislature, for more detailed information.
2. The series of locks now constructed, or in process of construction, which will
connect the basin at Richmond with James river at Rocketts, consist of No. 1,
a single lock near the basin. Nos. 2 and 3, and Nos. 4 and 5, combined locks, and
the ship-lock at Rocketts. Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 measure each 100 feet from
hollow quoin to hollow quoin. The ship-lock is to measure 200 feet. Nos. 1, 2,
4 and 5 have each the entire length of available chamber, less the gates, which
open and close within the chamber, and require a space of 7 feet 8 inches. Lock
No. 3 has not, if the gates shall be constructed in the same form as the others,
the same amount of available chamber. It is the lower of the first set of com¬
bined locks—the lift is 13 feet, and hence the floor of No. 3 is 13 feet lower than
that of No. 2. To obviate the inconvenience of gates at the head of this lower
lock, 35 feet high, the breast wall was run up to the floor of the upper lock, and
the mitre sill placed on it, thus occupying about five feet of the available space
of the chamber. I communicate herewith, marked B, a report of the chief en¬
gineer, with the accompanying papers, which will explain why this mode of con¬
struction was adopted. The locks on the division of the canal from Richmond
to Lynchburg, are constructed with the mitre sill above the floor of the lock.
This gives an elevation above the floor of from ten to thirteen inches, and hence
boats so heavily loaded as to sink them in the water below the top of the mitre
sill, cannot pass, if from their length they shall project over the mitre sill. The
lock No. 3 can pass a boat with as large burthen as the old locks between Rich¬
mond and Lynchburg, but it could not pass some throe or four of the boats on
[Doc. No. 33.]
5
the canal, if the gates at its outlet occupy the same space of the chamber of the
lock as was intended—nor could these boats pass the locks between Richmond
and Lynchburg, if fully loaded. These gates are not yet constructed.
It is the intention of the company to have the available chamber of lock No. 3,
on the Tidewater connection, made equal with that of the other locks of that
work. On the 13th of August last, a resolution was adopted by the board of
directors to cause this to be done, a copy of which I annex, (marked C.) It can
readily be effected. The mode which will probably be adopted, will be to con¬
struct the outlet gates with less angle or mitre, and to reduce the breast wall ia
the angle of the mitre sill at the head of the lock, which I have reason to believe
will not cost five hundred dollars, and will not impair the security or efficiency of
the lock.
3. I annex a statement showing the aggregate expense to be incurred in works
now under contract, and the dates of the contracts respectively, (marked D.)
To prevent misunderstanding, I deem it proper to remark that the ship-lock is
in process of construction on company account, the contract having been aban¬
doned ; and a stone dam, in like manner, is being constructed at Maidens Adven¬
ture pond, to take the place of the wooden dam, which is worn out and not worth
repair.
I have the honor to be.
Very respectfully.
Your ob't serv't,
JOHN Y. MASON,
PresH J. R. Sf K. Co.
[Doc. No. 33.]
7
A.
Office S. R. and K. Co.
Richmond, December 8, 1852.
Sir,
The amount of state bonds loaned for the construction of the canal from Lynch¬
burg to Buchanan is as follows :
Under the act of March 1st, 1847, .... 1,236,000 00
" Jan'y 25th, 1850, . - - - 110,000 00
Total, ..... 1,346,000 00
The disbursements for the above work to the 7th Dec. 1852, are - 1,633,469 54
Excess of disbursements over the amount of bonds loaned, • - $ 287,469 84
Of this excess of disbursements over receipts there has been borrowed from
the appropriation for the third division, ... 286,830 50
The amount of the company's bonds guaranteed by the state for the con¬
struction of the canal from Buchanan to Covington, under the act of 15th
March 1850, is ■ - - - - - 360,000 00
Amount expended on the third division, - - - $ 73,169 50
The amount of the company's bonds guaranteed by the state for the con¬
struction of the Southside and Rivanna connections by act of March 12th,
1849, is - - - - - - 150,000 00
The disbursements for the same, are - - - 246,084 39
The excess of disbursements over receipts, - - - $ 96,084 39
Of this excess of disbursements over receipts there has been borrowed from
the appropriation for the Tidewater connection, . - . 52,618 22
The amount of the company's bonds guaranteed by the state for the con¬
struction of the Tidewater connection, under the act of March 9, 1849, is 350,000 00
Amount expended on the Tidewater connection, - - $ 297,381 78
The balance of the amount necessary to supply the deficiencies in the loans for the se¬
cond division and for the Southside and Rivanna connections, has been paid out of the ge¬
neral revenue of the company.
Yours, very respectfully, ,
WM. P. MUNFORD, Sec'y.
John Y. Mason, Es^.
Pres't J. R. and K. Company.
[ Doc. No. 33.]
9
B.
Richmond, October 27th, 1852.
Sir,
In the report of the committee raised under the resolution of Mr. Pendleton, passed
by the stockholders at their called meeting on the 9th of February, some statements are
made, calculated in my opinion to injure me professionally, which I could readily have ex¬
plained to the committee, had an opportunity been afforded me. But as I was not invited
by the committee to appear before them or make an explanation, I respectfully request that
I may now be permitted to introduce testimony before you, to whom the report of the com¬
mittee has been referred, upon such points in that report as are calculated to cast censure
on me.
Yours, very respectfully,
WALTER GWYNN.
G. N. Johnson, Esq. Chairman
Committee of the Stockholders.
White Sclphoe Springs,
August 26, 1851.
Sir, '
I herewith lay before you a letter from myself to Mr. Gill, and two from Mr. Gill, in
relation to an error committed in the length of the chambers of lock No. 3, Tidewater con
nection. In Mr. Gill's letter of the 29th July, he states that he informed me of his inten¬
tion to make a semi-circular channel in the breast wall. I have no recollection of any inti¬
mation whatever having been made to me of the error, nor of his expedient for correcting
it. Had I been informed of the error, I should have taken steps to remedy it ; and if in
the mode indicated by Mr. Gill, would have caused that portion of the breast wall not built,
to be completed in accordance therewith, and thus have avoided the expense of cutting a
channel, as now proposed by Mr. Gill, which I very much fear will not fully answer his
expectation.
Yours, very respectfully,
WALTER GWYNN,
Chief Engineer J. R. if K. Co.
J. Y. Mason, Esq. Pres't
J. R. St K. Company.
2
iÖ [Doc. No. 33.]
Richmond, July 30, 1851.
Dear Sir,
I learn with great concern, that an error has been committed in the length of
the chamber of lock No. 3 of the Tidewater connection. Mr. Barney reports that it is only
94.75 feet between the breast wall and tbe gate. I wi.sh you would examine into the mat¬
ter without delay, and make a full report on the subject, addressed to me at the White Sul¬
phur springs, Greenbrier county.
Yours, very respectfully,
WALTER GWYNN,
Chief Engineer J. R. if K. Co.
E. H. Gill, Esq.
Prin. .dssi. Eng. T. IV. C.
Richmond, July 29th, 1851.
Dear Sir,
From what Mr. Barney tells me, I fear he has alarmed you unnecessarily re¬
lative to the length (between the gates) of lock No. 3. The length between the gates is
100 feet, but the breast is about four feet below the apex of the middle gates, leaving room
for a boat of 91 feet to pass through the locks. 90 feet was the length of the boats formerly
constructed on the canal, and 1 was not aware until last May that they exceeded that length.
I then overheard a conversation between some boatmen, in which it was stated that the
builders were increasing the length and width of the boats, wlKch caused me to measure a
number of the new boats, all of which (except the Caroline, which measured 91¿ feet,)
were less than 90 feet. The Caroline, 1 was informed, was the longest boat on the canal,
and in order to pass her through the lock it might be necessary to cut a channel in the cen¬
tre of the breast about six inches deep for her stern to rest in. This channel I proposed to
make in the form of a semi-circle and cover it with a cast iron plate, and informed you of
the fact at the time.
Mr. Barney informs me that he has found one boat 93 feet long, which will make it ne¬
cessary to enlarge the semi-circle to two feet radius, and it may be enlarged to three feet
without injury to the breast, and protected with a cast iron plate to prevent the sterns of the
boats from injuring the joints of the stones, for about $60.
Any of the boats can pass down without the alteration. The only difficulty is in passing
up, which is easily removed in the manner proposed.
Mr. Hutchings is getting on pretty well with the lock-pits; the hands work day and night.
McGrann & Co. are improving, and will probably have the required force on by the 1st
of August. Lauman's force still continues small, and a large portion of his men at the
quarries is sick.
Everything has been satisfactorily arranged with Mr. Laird and " the governor."
In haste, very respectfully.
Your obedient servant,
E. H. GILL.
CoL. Walter Gwynn,
Chief Engineer.
Please let me hear from you relative to the enclosed letter of Mr. Erckbaum.
[Doc. No. 33.]
11
Richmond, August 4, 1851.
Dear Sir,
' Yours of the 30th ult. has just been received. I wrote to you last Tuesday
relative to the length of lock No. 3. I have examined it again since then, and am confident
that the longest boat now on the canal can pass through it without any difficulty by cutting
a semi-circular piece of two feet radius out of the breast, which will not cost ovdV $60—
and will not injure the breast, as it is 11 feet thick.
In order to test the matter fully, I made a large plan of the lock and tried it with a model
of the largest boat on the canal.
The contractors are increasing their forces and appear to be exerting themselves to ob¬
tain the required force, and as there is reason to believe they will accomplish that object by
next week, 1 have recommended to the president that a further indulgence of ten days
should be allowed them.
Mr. Hutchins keeps a day and night force at the lock-pits, and is progressing pretty well.
Respectfully yours, &c. &c.
E. H. GILL.
Col. Walter Gwynr,
CAic/" Engineer J. R. S( K. Co.
Richmond, September 30, 1851.
Dear Sir,
In your letter of the 30th ult. you ask " how the error in the length of lock
No. 3 occurred. Was it accidental or intentional ; was it reduced below the standard length
of 100 feet, under the supposition that it would accommodate the boats navigating the ca¬
nal?" &c.
The lock is 100 feet in length between the hollow quoins, but as the combined lifts of the
two locks would require the middle gates to be 35 feet if they rested on the floor of lock
No. 3, the old plan of placing the mitre sill and the gates upon the breast wall was adopted,
and no allowance made in the length of the lock to compensate for the space occupied by
the breast wall below the apex of the mitre sill.
As it is customary in constructing combined locks with heavy lifts to adopt this method
without increasing their length, and as it was done on the Schuylkill canal in Pennsylvania,
and on the Sandy and Beaver canal in Ohio, and having in 1847 or 1848 measured most of
the boats then on the canal with reference to this object, and finding none of them to ex¬
ceed 90 feet in length, I saw no objection to its adoption here. Moreover, iu the present
locks between Richmoad and Lynchburg, the upper mitre sills are laid upon a breast of
timber, causing the upper surface of the mitre sills to be 1 foot and 4 inches above the level
of canal bottom, which would prevent atty of tlie very long boats from passing through the
locks when heavily laden, or drawing over 3 feet 8 inches water,
I have recently caused a measurement to be made of tlie boats now on the canal, and
find that out of 48 there are 4* that will not be able to pass through the lock as it now is,
and that in order to admit all it will be necessary to cut a semi-circle out of the breast with
a versed sine or radius of 24 feet, and protect the masonry after it is cut out with a cast iron
plate-
Respectfully yours, &c. &C,
E. H. GILL.
CoL. Walter Gwynn,
Chief Engineer J. R. Sç K. Co.
* These are—The Florida, 93 feet 3 inches long.
" W. B. Preston, 92 " 2 "
" J. M. Saunders, 92 " 9 "
Boston, 91 " 10 "
[Doc. No. 33.]
13
C,
At a meeting of the president and directors of the James river and Kanawha company,
held on the 13lh August 1852, the following resolution was adopted :
Resolved, That the chief engineer cause such alterations to be made in lock No. 3 on the
Tidewater connection, as will give an equal capacity with the adjoining lock No. 2, making
due allowance for the breast wall.
Extract from the records.
WM. P. MÜNFORD, Sec'y.
[Doc. No. 33.]
15
D.
Office op the J. R. & K. Co.
Richmond, Dec. 8, 1852.
Sir,
The aggregate expense to be incurred on the works of the company now under
contract, and the dates of the contracts, are as follows, viz ;
J. Leslie's contract for basin, dated October 25, 1852, - - 11,000
S.Ford's " Cartersville dam, dated July 25, 1850, - - 1.500
Do. " superstructure New Canton bridge, dated Jan'y 1, 1850, 4,000
Do. " " Hardwicksville bridge, " '• 3,700
A. J. Fort's " section No. 8 on 3d division, dated Feb. 9, 1852, - 50,000
Do. " lock No. 6, dated Feb. 9, 1852, - - 13,000
Do. " " 7, » " . . 13,000
J. H. Shultz's " " 3, " Sept. 1st, 1852, - - 10,000
Do. " " 2, " . . 5,000
Total, - - . - - $111,200
Yours, very respectfully,
W. P. MUNFORD, Sec'y.
John Y. Mason, Lsq.
Pres't J. R. Sr K. C».